Do you find yourself going through several bottles of laundry detergent in a single month? Does having your washer constantly running leave you cringing every time the water bill shows up? Are you appalled by how fast different clothing seems to shrink – right before your very eyes? Would you like to go a little “greener” with your family’s laundry?
Well, this next Thrifty Tip will help you change all that! Are you ready? Okay…here goes:
Wear your clothing twice before washing it!
Now, before you shout “Eeewww!” hear me out. 😉
I’m not advocating wearing the same outfit for two days in a row, nor am I saying it’s suddenly en vogue to re-wear one’s undies and socks (because frankly, that IS “Eeewww!”). What I’m suggesting is that you consider re-wearing visibly clean items like shirts, pants, skirts and dresses for more than one day BEFORE throwing them in the washer.
You may not realize it, but more often than not, the clothes that you wear in a day aren’t all that dirty by the time you take them off. So instead of immediately throwing them in the hamper, hang them to air out a bit, and re-wear them later that week or next.
Of course, if you’re sporting a spaghetti sauce stain, or your son’s t-shirt smells bad (teenage boy, anyone?) then by all means – wash away! But to really extend the life of your clothing, reduce shrinking, and save money on both detergent and water, consider wearing your outfits more than once. (Please note that I do not suggest applying this practice to things like socks and undies. Ahem.)
This practice actually works really well for sweaters and jeans, which tend to get a lot of use this time of year. They’re also prone to shrinkage (both), pilling (sweaters) and general wearing out (both).
A few rules to remember:
1) Hang clothes up so they can “air out” – never stuff them back inside your dresser drawers. (This is especially good practice for dressier items like suits and church and/or work clothes!)
2) Don’t re-wear the exact same outfit two days in a row. Instead, wear a pair of jeans and a sweater on Monday and re-wear it on Thursday. (You get the idea.)
3) Due to bacteria, sweat, and a general “ick” factor, this practice does not apply to socks or undergarments.
4) If it’s clearly stained or otherwise dirty, just wash it. 😉
Have you done this- do you wear your clothes more than once to save money?
Comments & Reviews
Kimberly says
I wear my office clothes twice. To remind myself what I’ve already worn once, when I re-hang them, I turn them inside out. I re-wear the slacks almost weekly, and tops maybe monthly. Just remember to turn them RIGHT-side out before heading to the office!
Karrie says
Oooh, that is clever Kimberly – what a great idea.
kathy f says
I do this often. I think that your clothes don’t wear out as fast.
Heidi says
I have always done this to save money, time and the life of the clothes. Sweaters are never the same after washing,so I try not to do it so often. Really, how dirty can clothes get just going to the store? When I get home from errands, I change into my “at home clothes”. I also reuse bath towels a couple times. My boys just dump everything in the hamper every night because it’s easier FOR THEM of course. sigh.
Karrie says
So true, sweaters…makes me so sad when they get ruined. In fact I always also hang those to dry for sure, because they always start pilling if not.
Tanya says
I have done this for years, especially pants! I have been trying to convince my husband for a long time that I don’t need to wash the shirt he has worn for 3 hours and looks perfectly and smells perfectly clean!
Kristina says
My grandmother taught me this and said everyone did it during the great depression. She would hang the item in the bathroom overnight to air and place it on a hanger facing the other direction from the newly cleaned ones. That way she never forgot what she had already worn once before.
Karrie says
Great idea!
Vickie says
I do this but not so much to save money – to save TIME!!!
Karrie says
True, it does save a lot of time!
Erin J. says
I have done this since I was a kid. As long as its not visibly dirty or stinky, I rewear it another day. Now if only I can get my hubby and kids to do the same. My 6 year old changes her clothes more times in one day than I can count. LOL.
Karrie says
I know what you mean Erin, I have a son that goes through a towel a day after his showers, and I am trying to get him to reuse the same one. I mean, heck he is clean and its just water on the towel…